Review: In Deeper Waters

 

This book kinda checked it all. Gay men? Check. Pirate fantasy? Check. Hot merman? Also check. And anyone who knows  me well knows I am a sucker for both pirate fantasy and gay stories. (Us gays gotta stick together yaknow?)

In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens is the story of Tal, fourth child among five of the kingdom of Harth. On his coming of age tour he is taken out to sea for a coming of age tour of his kingdom, but he has a secret. Tal has magic, something his forefather had, and he's the last one to use it.  On his tour Tal comes across Athlen, with whom he is separated just to meet him again on the kingdom. It seems that both of them have secrets to hide.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 3/5. Disappointing to say the least.

PROS:

1. Gay men. Give me a gay story, I'll devour it like a whale.

2. Merman fantasy. Again, same thing.

3. PIRATES!!!

4. Badass women: Shay and Dara both. They kinda remind me of Kugisaki and Maki (where my fellow Jujutsu Kaisen fans at). They're tough, they're fearless, and they won't take shit from anyone. They're literally not afraid to call you out on your shit and that's effing awesome. My gay comes out when I see such women.

5. Easy flowing narration: This was one of those one sitting with a small break in between kind of reads? Because I finished more than 80% of it in one evening. And that's saying something.

CONS:

1. Plot: Seriously. I don't know what is it. I mean, WHAT IS IT? I had no idea what in the world was going on and what was the purpose. The synopsis made it seem like it was a good ol' pirate fantasy but bruh so disappointing. I mean I didn't even understand if it was character driven or plot driven. Kinda maddening.

2. Characterization: -100/10. I mean, I like the characters, they were adorable. But it was just that. They were statues. One dimensional. And they just seemed bland to me.

3. Setting: It was okay. But no worldbuilding whatsoever.

4. Developments: Too fast, too rapid for my liking. I would like a good roast, not slow burn, roast, but just don't effing burn it to ashes bruh. Let that spark spark some more and then ignite it. LET IT BURN.

5. Lack: THIS IS A TOPIC I'D SUE THE BOOK FOR. Lack. This book just effing lacked the stuff that even makes this book a book. I mean, lack of relationship developments, lack of character developments. HECK I DIDN'T EVEN UNDERSTAND HOW THE GAYS ENDED UP TOGETHER? And lack of lore. Don't get me started. There's no lore. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU EXPECT ME TO KNOW ALL OF THAT SHIT? I mean, give me lore, tell me the story of the people bruh. Lack of villain development. Lack of villains!? Bruh who the eff doesn't have villains in a fantasy?

MOST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

Athlen. Hands down Athlen. He's kinda fruity, kinda happy-go-lucky type person which makes me like him like a lot. And he's a merman, mermen are handsome af. And you know I like me my hotties.

LEAST FAVOURITE CHARACTER:

This book didn't interest me enough for me to have a least favourite character.

OVERALL, A MEH READ. Not something I would recommend.